Happy Birthday Asuka
by Voxus Lumith
Summary: A short, happy story of Asuka and Shinji. Written on Asuka's Birthday. I hope you enjoy.


Colors of all kinds danced above in the house of little Asuka. She lay there; her arms tight around her stuffed animal, holding it secure, mostly to make herself feel safer. She had been laying there for almost ten minutes, waiting for her mother and father to tell her to come find them. Playing hide and seek in the house was much different than with her friends. The blue and red of the painted glass chimes moved slowly around the ceiling, seeming to dance back and forth against and with one another. It was entrancing to her and soothing as well. Her grip loosened on her doll slowly as her eyes drooped.

"Asuka? Are you coming to find us?" Her father said in a hesitant voice.

"C-coming!" She said eyes wide and sitting up quickly, shocked that she had been called already.

She began her search down the hall to the living room. Their home was quite nice and quite large as well. A couch and chairs sat around a small table for coffee where two warm coffee cups sat, one with a book next to it, its spine beginning to crease, and the other with a notebook of sorts, looking quite the worse for wear.

 _"They made their drinks,"_ She thought to herself. _"They aren't going into the basement then. They never do that."_

She stepped gingerly into the kitchen, the cold tiled floor sending shivers through her. The soft pitter pat of her feet seemed to echo through the empty kitchen. Nothing was being prepared or even thawed out on the counter, and the coffee pot had just finished making another pot full.

"Hmmm… Upstairs then," She deducted, and was off.

Upstairs held the bedrooms and two bathrooms, as well as an entertainment area for the children. She scurried there first, sliding down the small hallway next to the stairs in her socks. The couch looked disturbed, but did not look as if it were to tell her anything. She moved slowly in, looking for anything that could tell her where they would be. Dad's shoes coming off while they were looking for a hiding place, a hair band covered in her mother's deep red strands; anything would help. Then she heard it, footsteps.

"No you don't!" She said, rushing back into the landing of the second floor. There they were, caught read handed trying to get back to base. "Found you both. Now… what's my reward?" She said with a smile.

Her father made his way back up the stairs, lifting her up into his arms. "Alright alright. You got us. We'll make something delicious for desert tonight. Does that sound like a good reward?"

"What can you make Mom?"

"I don't know," She said as she stretched a little coming up the stairs again, "We can make pie, a cheesecake, just… cake… maybe even ice cream."

"We can make ice cream!?" Her eyes got wider as her smile grew.

"It seems that will be what we do. You wanna help little one?" Her dad bounced her slightly.

A simple nod was all she gave them, as she wiggled down and scurried into the kitchen.

An old memory; a fond memory. But that was all it was. Asuka had her own memories to make now. She woke with a start, her eyes whirling in her head as her body steadied itself. She had not been drinking the night before, but the night had been a long one. One without much actual rest, and filled with different dreams besides the only pleasant one she can truly, clearly remember. Standing up, her shirt flopped around her, the ends hardly reaching past her waist as she made her way to the closet. A moment later, she had her outfit picked out and laid out, and her intimates ready to be thrown on after her shower. She disrobed, stepped into the bathroom, and began. The warmth of the water woke her up slowly, and helped ease the pain that was racing in her head. "I guess I remembered too much last night." She gave herself a small giggle as she washed her hair and body. Water off, the room filled with steam, she dried herself and made her way into the bedroom once more to dress and start her day.

The day was important, but truthfully, she could not remember how. _"Something with work? I don't have anything…. Urgent that needs to be done…"_ She thought to herself, making her way down the stairs in her house. She thought and thought, but couldn't place it. In the kitchen, she looked around for some kind of breakfast to make, but to no avail. _"Of course. The one day I feel like something is going to happen, and I have to do it on an empty stomach."_ She grabbed the coffee pot and poured herself a mug, and stirred in some milk and sugar. "At least we have coffee," she spoke, to no one.

Then it hit her. It's December. It was her birthday soon. Shinji might actually remember, and be out getting her something. A present, a cake, even… "Ice cream," she said aloud, drooling slightly.

Time passed as she sat with her book, more skimming the pages, and awaiting Shinji's return. Soon, she heard it, the light footsteps on the porch and the slow creak of the door. She merely waited, wanting to see just exactly what he thought would be a good idea for this splendid occasion.

There he was, through the threshold in his jacket, jeans, and shoes, his nose red from the cold. "Hey there Asuka. Looks like you finally woke up." He said jokingly.

He had grown into a man since their time in the Evas. With the threat of angels neutralized, there was no real need for them to be… on call so to speak. So, what else were they to do? They grew on each other. Regardless of their past, they had a connection of sorts, and, despite both of their initial feelings and emotions, they felt as if they were meant to be together. The first few years were, difficult so to speak, but now, after being together for those years, it had all seemed better. Everyday provided its own challenges, but they met them head on and with enough sheer will and patience for the other that they made it through them all unscathed. Now, if Shinji had not remembered what today was, Asuka could revert back to her old self, and unleash a verbal beating he had come to understand and be prepared for.

"What'd you get?" She asked, putting her book down.

"Oh you know. I saw we didn't really have any breakfast stuff, so I picked us up something. That and I dropped by the store for a little while and got something for dinner tonight. I'll have to go out and get it in a second. I made coffee before I left, did you get some of it?"

"Yeah. I'm glad you did. I think I've trained you pretty well, don't you think? Making me coffee without me asking." She said, poking one at him.

"Oh yeah. You're loyal lap dog is ever adaptable to your ongoing training," He shot her a smile.

 _"He got food but is keeping the present in the car! I knew it! He probably forgot until this morning and snuck off to get something!"_ Her mind whirled yet again, carrying the thought on its own ride.

Shinji began putting up the few bags he brought in, while Asuka moved over to the kitchen to watch him and talk. They spoke of the weather, their sleeping, anything interesting in the news or what was going on in town, but then, Asuka just couldn't take it anymore.

"Do you know what today is?" She asked, the question seeming to hang heavy in the air.

Shinji gave a short pause, and answered. "December 4th? Right? We didn't get in a time machine last night did we?"

Asuka's face began to change color. Flushed slightly, she gave a sigh. _"He isn't wrong… I'll see where this goes."_ "You're right. Just making sure. I haven't checked my phone or anything yet."

"Ah I gotcha. Hey. Could you go out to the car and get the rest of the bags? I'm sorry. I'm almost done putting these up."

With another sigh, she made her way outside. The chill crept along her as her hair whipped through the air on the cold December wind. Around her, other houses, filled with families stood on solid ground, ground she fought against terrifying beings for. Memories flooded back to her, of all the fighting, all the blood and pain, and most of all the weapons they used against them. They all had bonds with theirs; something that was, and felt, unearthly. It still gripped her tight even know, as if she were constantly being watched by someone. The feeling was hard, but with Shinji by her side, she always felt as if there would be someone there to let her cry on, yell at, talk to, make fun of, care for, and try her best to help in the same way.

She shook the memories and feelings away. That was the past. They had grown, and the Angels were gone. She did not truly protect the world anymore. She was a hero to many, but many did not know who they were entirely. She now had someone to protect, as well as someone protecting her. She moved to the car, and got into the back seat on her knees, picking up the loose things in the bags, forgetting about what she truly wanted to check out in the car. Loaded up, she headed back inside, and set them down in the kitchen.

Shinji had disappeared. "Shinji? You upstairs." Asuka asked faintly.

Muffled through a door, she could hear him. "Yeah! Just getting something down from the closet."

 _"What? What does he mean?"_

She began her trek upwards, just trying to figure out what it could be that he was getting. As soon as she reached the cracked door, she discovered what it was, and couldn't believe her eyes.

It was the same. Exactly the same. The trim, the color, even the little frills around the straps on the shoulders; it was all exactly the same as the first day she met him. She had kept it from long ago, as a reminder of her past self, and as a simple memento of a long lost age of scared protection from things they didn't fully understand. The dress lay on the bed, laid out to display it fully, and along with it, sat atop in all its fluffy glory, a small animal. Brown plushy skin with a little tail and big ears. It looked just like it had before. So long ago. The memories came back, but only the ones she enjoyed. Her mother and the ice cream, her father playing with her, and the love that she felt between them. It was overwhelming, so much so, she burst through the door, and tackled Shinji, locking her arms around him as they fell onto the bed in a hard embrace, her eyes rolling out tears.

After a few moments, now consoled, she sat on the bed near the dress, poking at it, as well as the stuffed animal. "I was hoping you were going to look for something in the car." Shinji said, sitting across from her.

 _"That jackass. He knew."_ She thought to herself, mostly out of love, and some out of anger for being outsmarted, she gave him a smile, "I did look. Just not too long, or too hard. Did you… get this made for me?"

"Yep. I looked around for the right fabric, the pattern, the stuffed doll was probably the hardest to come by and make, but I did it. I hope you like them." He said, a smile creeping across his face.

"I do. But… why? Why did you get these made for me?"

Shinji stood up, and began his explanation the only way he knew how. "Way back when we first got introduced to one another, I remember you in that dress. The color was cute, and it looked good on you, and no, I didn't see anything when the wind got the best of you. You looked… frankly… beautiful."

 _"Oh stop it! You'll make me blush you idiot!"_ Her thoughts raced through her head, but she continued to listen.

"And I remember you telling me of all the good memories you had with your family. That little animal you wagged along was always with you, and I felt that maybe, it would help our little family as well. We could make some memories and keep him around. Maybe a little Asuka would want one too. You never know." He looked up at her, their eyes meeting once more.

She didn't know what to say. She knew what she wanted to do though, and she took the chance once he was done. She leapt up, her arms spread, and embraced him in a soft kiss. She felt as if she could melt in his arms. She had never felt more safe, appreciated, loved, and at home with him. This was her new home, and as he said, they can make new memories to replace the old ones.

"Thank you Shinji." She smiled, once she let go of her kiss.

"Happy birthday Asuka, I hope it's as good as you had hoped." He replied.

She smiled at him, her eyes still tear stained, and her face still in a soft blush. It was time for the happy memories to begin, and honestly, Asuka could not wait for their forever ahead of them.


End file.
